System and method for analyzing a digital image

ABSTRACT

A system and method for analyzing a captured image is disclosed. In one embodiment, a system for analyzing a digital image comprises an image sensor including a plurality of image capture elements, each of the image capture elements configured to capture image data. The image data is captured according to at least one setting. The system also includes a memory for storing the image data and logic for dynamically analyzing the image data to determine at least one characteristic of the image data, and a display for communicating a description of the characteristic.

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates generally to digital photography,and, more particularly, to a system and method for analyzing a digitalimage.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] With the proliferation of low cost microprocessors, memory andimage capture electronics, digital cameras are gaining popularity andare becoming more and more widely available to a larger number ofconsumers. One of the advantages that a digital camera enjoys over aconventional film camera is that when a digital camera captures animage, the image is stored electronically in a memory element associatedwith the camera and is available for immediate viewing. For example, itis common to capture an image using a digital camera and thenimmediately display the captured image to the user on a display screenassociated with the digital camera. This ability to immediately view theimage is commonly referred to as “instant review.” The ability toimmediately review the captured image allows the user to immediatelydecide if the image is satisfactory, worth keeping and perhaps printing.

[0003] Unfortunately, many characteristics for determining whether theimage is satisfactory may not be readily visually noticeable on thesmall display associated with many digital cameras. For example, whilethe image may appear to be in focus when viewed on the camera display,the image may appear out of focus when printed. Unfortunately, printingthe image is a time consuming and costly way to determine whether theimage is satisfactory.

[0004] Therefore, it would be desirable to determine the quality ofvarious characteristics associated with the captured image prior toprinting the image. Further, if the image is deemed unacceptable, itwould be desirable to provide instructions to the user for improving asubsequent image.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] A system and method for analyzing a digital image is disclosed.In one embodiment, a system for analyzing a digital image comprises animage sensor including a plurality of image capture elements, each ofthe image capture elements configured to capture image data. The imagedata is captured according to at least one setting. The system alsoincludes a memory for storing the image data, logic for analyzing theimage data to determine at least one characteristic of the image data,and a display for communicating a description of the characteristic.

[0006] Related methods of operation and computer readable media are alsoprovided. Other systems, methods, features, and advantages of theinvention will be or become apparent to one with skill in the art uponexamination of the following figures and detailed description. It isintended that all such additional systems, methods, features, andadvantages be included within this description, be within the scope ofthe invention, and be protected by the accompanying claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] Embodiments of the present invention, as defined in the claims,can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. Thecomponents within the drawings are not necessarily to scale relative toeach other, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating theprinciples of the present invention.

[0008]FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a digital cameraconstructed in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

[0009]FIG. 2 is a graphical illustration of an image file.

[0010]FIG. 3 is a flow chart describing the operation of an embodimentof the image analysis and improvement logic of FIG. 1.

[0011]FIGS. 4A and 4B are graphical illustrations showing an instantreview screen and a help screen in accordance with an embodiment of theinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0012] The invention described below is applicable to any digital camerathat provides an “instant review” function. The system and method foranalyzing a captured image can be implemented in hardware, software,firmware, or a combination thereof. In the preferred embodiment(s), thesystem and method for analyzing a captured image is implemented using acombination of hardware, software or firmware that is stored in a memoryand that is executed by a suitable instruction execution system. Thehardware portion of the system and method for analyzing a captured imagecan be implemented with any or a combination of the followingtechnologies, which are all well known in the art: a discrete logiccircuit(s) having logic gates for implementing logic functions upon datasignals, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) havingappropriate combinational logic gates, a programmable gate array(s)(PGA), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), etc. The software portionof the system and method for analyzing a captured image can be stored inone or more memory elements and executed by a suitable general purposeor application specific processor.

[0013] The software for analyzing a captured image, which comprises anordered listing of executable instructions for implementing logicalfunctions, can be embodied in any computer-readable medium for use by orin connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, ordevice, such as a computer-based system, processor-containing system, orother system that can fetch the instructions from the instructionexecution system, apparatus, or device and execute the instructions. Inthe context of this document, a “computer-readable medium” can be anymeans, which contain, store, communicate, propagate, or transport theprogram for use by or in connection with the instruction executionsystem, apparatus, or device.

[0014]FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a digital camera 100constructed in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. In theimplementation to be described below, the digital camera 100 includes anapplication specific integrated circuit (ASIC) 102 that executes theimage analysis logic 150 of the invention. As will be described below,the image analysis logic 150 can be software that is stored in memoryand executed by the ASIC 102. In an alternative embodiment, the imageanalysis logic 150 may be implemented in firmware, which can be storedand executed in the ASIC 102. Further, while illustrated using a singleASIC 102, the digital camera 100 may include additional processors,digital signal processors (DSPs) and ASICs.

[0015] The ASIC 102 may also include other elements, which are omittedfor simplicity. The ASIC 102 controls the function of various aspects ofthe digital camera 100.

[0016] The camera 100 includes an image sensor 104. The image sensor 104may comprise a charge coupled device (CCD) array or an array ofcomplementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) sensors. Regardless ofwhether the image sensor 104 comprises an array of individual CCDelements or CMOS sensors, each of the elements in the array comprises apixel (picture element) of the image sensor 104. An exemplary pixel isindicated using reference numeral 204. The pixels in the image sensor104 are typically arranged in a two-dimensional array. For example, animage array may comprise 2272 pixels in length and 1712 pixels inheight.

[0017] The image sensor 104 captures an image of a subject by convertingincident light into an analog signal, and sends this representation ofthe image via connection 109 to an analog front end (AFE) processor 111.The analog front end processor 111 typically includes ananalog-to-digital converter for converting the analog signal receivedfrom the image sensor 104 into a digital signal. The analog front endprocessor provides this digital signal as image data via connection 112to the ASIC 102 for image processing.

[0018] The ASIC 102 couples via connection 118 to one or more motordrivers 119. The motor drivers 119 control the operation of variousparameters of the lens 122 via connection 121. For example, lenscontrols, such as zoom, focus, aperture and shutter operations can becontrolled by the motor drivers 119. The connection 123 between the lens122 and the image sensor 104 is shown as a dotted line to illustrate theoperation of the lens 122 focusing on a subject and communicating lightto the image sensor 104, which captures the image provided by the lens122.

[0019] The ASIC 102 also sends display data via connection 124 to adisplay controller 126. The display controller may be, for example, anational television system committee (NTSC)/phase alternate line (PAL)encoder, although, depending on the application, other standards forpresenting display data may be used. The display controller 126 convertsthe display data from the ASIC 102 into a signal that can be forwardedvia connection 127 to image display 128. The image display 128, whichcan be, for example a liquid crystal display (LCD) or other display,displays the captured image to the user of a digital camera 100, and istypically the color display located on the digital camera 100. Dependingon the configuration of the digital camera 100, the image shown to auser on the image display 128 may be shown before the image is capturedand processed, in what is referred to as “live view” mode, or after theimage is captured and processed, in what is referred to as “instantreview” mode, or, if the image was previously captured, in what isreferred to as “review” or “playback” mode. The playback mode can beinvoked via a menu command. The instant review mode is typically used todisplay the captured image to the user immediately after the image iscaptured and the playback mode is typically used to display the capturedimage to the user sometime after the image has been captured and storedin memory.

[0020] The instant review mode allows the user of the camera 100 toimmediately view the image on the display 128. Unfortunately, becausethe image display 128 is typically small, only gross features, orcharacteristics, of the image can be visually observed. Further, theimage display 128 may not accurately reproduce color, tint, brightness,etc., which may further make it difficult for a user to determine thequality of the captured image. The difficulty in visually determiningthe quality of the captured image leads to the possibility of saving animage that may include deficiencies that, if visually detected, wouldlikely cause the user to discard the image and attempt to captureanother image having better quality. To determine whether the imageincludes deficiencies that may not be apparent to the user when viewingthe captured image on the image display 128 in the instant review mode,the image analysis logic 150 dynamically analyzes one or morecharacteristics of the captured image and presents to the user, via theimage display 128 and a user interface, an analysis of the capturedimage. An exemplary dynamic analysis of the data for each pixel in acaptured image is described below in FIG. 2. For example, informationassociated with each pixel may be analyzed to determine whether asignificant number of the pixels forming the image is either black orwhite. A predominance of white pixels may be indicative of overexposureand a predominance of black pixels may be indicative of underexposure.

[0021] Similar dynamic analyses can be performed to determine whether animage is in focus or to determine the white balance the image iscorrect. To determine whether an image is in focus, pixels in an imageare examined to determine whether sharp transitions exist betweenpixels. For example, a black pixel adjoining a white pixel may indicatethat the image is in focus, while a black pixel separated from a whitepixel by a number of gray pixels may indicate that the image is out offocus.

[0022] White balance is a characteristic of the image that generallyrefers to the color balance in the image to ensure that white portionsof the image appear white. An image in which each pixel is a differentshade of the same color may indicate an image in which the white balanceis improperly adjusted.

[0023] Further, an image improvement logic 160 may be provided topresent to the user a recommendation in the form of instructionspresented on the image display 128 on ways in which to possibly improvea subsequent image by, for example, adjusting a condition under whichthe image was captured or adjusting a setting used to capture the image.As will be described below, the image analysis logic 150 analyzes thecaptured image and, optionally, the camera settings used to capture theimage, and determines a value of one or more characteristics of thecaptured image. For example, to determine whether the exposure of theimage is satisfactory, if a predefined number of white pixels in theimage is exceeded, then the image analysis logic 150 may indicate thatthe image is overexposed. Further, if the image analysis logic 150determines that one or more characteristics of the captured image is notsatisfactory to yield a high quality image, the image improvement logic160 determines whether a condition used to capture the image should beadjusted, or whether a camera setting should be adjusted, to improve asubsequent image. For example, if the image analysis logic 150determines that the image is underexposed, the image improvement logic160 can determine that a subsequent image may be improved by activatingthe camera flash for a subsequent image. When the image analysis logic150 analyzes the data representing the captured image and the settingsused to capture the image, the analysis can be used by the imageimprovement logic 160 to suggest adjustments to the settings to improvea subsequent image. These suggested adjustments to the camera settingscan be presented to the user on a help screen via the image display 128,or, in an alternative configuration, can be automatically changed for asubsequent image.

[0024] The ASIC 102 couples to a microcontroller 161 via connection 154.The microcontroller 161 can be a specific or a general purposemicroprocessor that controls the various operating aspects andparameters of the digital camera 100. For example, the microcontroller161 is coupled to a user interface 164 via connection 162. The userinterface 164 may include, for example but not limited to, a keypad, oneor more buttons, a mouse or pointing device, a shutter release, and anyother buttons or switches that allow the user of the digital camera 100to input commands. Further, the image analysis logic 150 and the imageimprovement logic 160 communicate with the user via the user interface164, through the image display 128.

[0025] The ASIC 102 also couples to one or more different memoryelements, collectively referred to as memory 136. The memory 136 mayinclude memory internal to the digital camera 100 and/or memory externalto the digital camera 100. The internal memory may, for example,comprise flash memory and the external memory may comprise, for example,a removable compact flash memory card. The various memory elements maycomprise volatile, and/or non-volatile memory, such as, for example butnot limited to, synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM) 141,illustrated as a portion of the memory 136 and flash memory.Furthermore, the memory elements may comprise memory distributed overvarious elements within the digital camera 100.

[0026] The ASIC 102 couples to memory 136 via connection 131. The memory136 includes the image analysis logic 150, the image improvement logic160, the settings file 155 and the various software and firmwareelements and components (not shown) that allow the digital camera 100 toperform its various functions. The memory also stores the image file135, which represents a captured image. When the system and method foranalyzing an image is implemented in software, the software code (i.e.,the image analysis logic 150) is typically stored in the memory 136 andtransferred to the SDRAM 141 to enable the efficient execution of thesoftware in the ASIC 102. The settings file 155 comprises the varioussettings used when capturing an image. For example, the exposure time,aperture setting (f-stop), shutter speed, white balance, flash on oroff, focus, contrast, saturation, sharpness, ISO speed, exposurecompensation, color, resolution and compression, and other camerasettings may be stored in the settings file 155. As will be describedbelow, the settings file 155 may be accessed by the image analysis logic150 to analyze a captured image by, in one example, determining thecamera settings used to capture the image that is under analysis.

[0027] The ASIC 102 executes the image analysis logic 150 so that afteran image is captured by the image sensor 104, the image analysis logic150 analyzes various characteristics of the captured image. Thesecharacteristics may include characteristics of the captured image, oralternatively, may include the settings used to capture the image.Further, if the image improvement logic 160 determines that the imagecould be improved by changing one or more of the conditions under whichthe image was captured, or by changing one or more camera settings, thenthe image improvement logic 160 can either suggest these changes via theuser interface 164 and the image display 128, or can automaticallychange the settings and prepare the camera for a subsequent image.

[0028]FIG. 2 is a graphical illustration of an image file 135. The imagefile 135 includes a header portion 202 and a pixel array 208. The pixelarray 208 comprises a plurality of pixels, exemplary ones of which areillustrated using reference numerals 204, 206 and 212. Each pixel in thepixel array 208 represents a portion of the captured image representedby the image file 135. An array size can be, for example, 2272 pixelswide by 1712 pixels high. When processed, the image file 135 can also berepresented as a table of values for each pixel and can be stored, forexample, in the memory 136 of FIG. 1. For example, each pixel has anassociated red (R), green (G) and blue (B) value. The value for each R,G and B component can be, for example, a value between 0 and 255, wherethe value of each R, G and B component represents the color that thepixel has captured. For example, if pixel 204 has respective R, G and Bvalues of 0, 0 and 0, respectively, (or close to 0,0,0) the pixel 204represents the color black, or is close to black. Conversely, for thepixel 212, a respective value of 255 (or close to 255) for each R, G andB component represents the color white, or close to white. R, G and Bvalues between 0 and 255 represent a range of colors between black andwhite. The data for each pixel in the image file 135 can be analyzed bythe image analysis logic 150 to determine characteristics of the image.For example, characteristics including, but not limited to, theexposure, focus or the white balance of the captured image can beanalyzed. A predominance of white pixels may be indicative ofoverexposure and a predominance of black pixels may be indicative ofunderexposure. To determine whether an image is in focus, pixels in animage are analyzed to determine whether sharp transitions exist betweenpixels. For example, a black pixel adjoining a white pixel may indicatethat the image is in focus, while a black pixel separated from a whitepixel by a number of gray pixels may indicate that the image is out offocus. An image in which each pixel is a different shade of the samecolor may indicate a problem with the white balance of the image. Anexample of determining the exposure will be described below with respectto FIG. 3.

[0029]FIG. 3 is a flow chart 300 describing the operation of anembodiment of the image analysis logic 150 and the image improvementlogic 160 of FIG. 1. Any process descriptions or blocks in the flowchart to follow should be understood as representing modules, segments,or portions of code which include one or more executable instructionsfor implementing specific logical functions or steps in the process, andalternative implementations are included within the scope of thepreferred embodiment. For example, functions may be executed out oforder from that shown or discussed, including substantially concurrentlyor in reverse order, depending on the functionality involved, as wouldbe understood by those reasonably skilled in the art of the presentinvention.

[0030] In block 302 the image sensor 104 of FIG. 1 captures an image.The image is stored in the memory 136 as image file 135.

[0031] In block 304, the image is displayed to the user of the digitalcamera 100 via the image display 128 (FIG. 1) during the “instantreview” mode. The instant review mode affords the user the opportunityto view the captured image immediately after capture.

[0032] In block 306, the user determines whether they want to view thesettings with which the image was captured. If the user wants to viewthe settings, the settings are displayed to the user on the imagedisplay 128 as indicated in block 308. If the user does not want to viewthe settings, then, in block 312, it is determined whether the userwants the image analysis logic 150 to analyze the image. If the userdoes not want the image to be analyzed, then, in block 314 the image canbe saved or discarded. Alternatively, the image analysis logic 150 canbe invoked automatically without user intervention.

[0033] In block 316, the image analysis logic 150 analyzes the datawithin the image file 135. The data is analyzed to determine variouscharacteristics of the captured image. The following example will useexposure as the characteristic that is analyzed by the image analysislogic 150. However, other characteristics, such as, for example, focusand white balance, can be analyzed.

[0034] When analyzing exposure, the image analysis logic 150 performs apixel by pixel analysis to determine whether the image includes apredominance of either black or white pixels. In this example, the dataassociated with each pixel in the image file 135 is analyzed todetermine whether a pixel is a black pixel or a white pixel. Each pixelis analyzed to determine its corresponding R, G and B values. Forexample, if the R, G and B values for the pixel 204 are all zeros, thepixel is considered a black pixel. Each pixel in the pixel array 208 isanalyzed in this manner to determine the number of black or white pixelsin the pixel array 208 for this image file. A determination in block 306that a substantial portion of the pixels in the array 208 are blackindicates that the image is likely underexposed. Conversely, adetermination that many of pixels in the array 208 are white indicatesthat the image is likely overexposed. Of course, the image may be of anall white or an all black subject, in which case the user may choose todisregard the analysis.

[0035] In an alternative embodiment, the data in the image file 135 canbe analyzed in combination with other data available either in the imagefile 135 or from the settings file 155 in the camera 100. For example,additional data saved in the header 202 of the image file 135 can beanalyzed in conjunction with the information from each pixel in thearray 208. This information might include, for example, the ISO settingand the aperture setting (f-stop) used to capture the image. These dataitems can be used in conjunction with the pixel data described above todevelop additional information regarding the characteristic of theanalyzed image.

[0036] Furthermore, the image analysis logic 150 can also analyze thecamera settings used to capture the image and use those settings whenanalyzing the data in the image file 135 to develop additional dataregarding the image file 135. For example, the image analysis logic 150can access the settings file 155 in the memory 136 of FIG. 1 todetermine, for example, whether the flash was enabled, or to determinethe position of the lens when the image was captured. In this manner,the image analysis logic 150 can gather a range of information relatingto the captured image to perform an analysis on the captured image file135 to determine whether the captured image meets certain criteria. Toillustrate an example, if the image analysis logic 150 determines thatthe image is underexposed, i.e., the image file contains many blackpixels, the image analysis logic 150 can access the settings file 155 todetermine whether the flash was active when the image was captured. Ifthe image analysis logic 150 determines that the flash was turned off,the image analysis logic 150 may communicate with the image improvementlogic 160 to recommend that the user activate the flash so that asubsequent image may have less likelihood of being underexposed.

[0037] In block 318, it is determined whether the image data analyzed inblock 316 represents an acceptable image. This can be an objectivedetermination based on criteria that the user enters into the camera 100via a user interface 164 (FIG. 1) or can be preset in the camera 100 atthe time of manufacture. Alternatively, the determination of whether theimage data represents an acceptable image can be a subjectivedetermination based on user input. If the image is determined to beacceptable, then no further calculation is performed.

[0038] If, however, in block 318 the image analysis logic 150 determinesthat certain conditions under which the image was captured or settingsused to capture the image can be changed to improve the image, then, inblock 322, the image improvement logic 160 evaluates the settings usedto capture the data in the image file 135 to determine whether acondition or setting can be changed to improve the image. In addition,the image improvement logic 160 can also develop recommendations topresent to the user of the camera to improve a subsequent image. Forexample, if the analysis in block 316 suggests that the image wasunderexposed, the image improvement logic 160 may develop “advice” to bepresented to the user. In this example, as will be described below, theimage improvement logic 160 may suggest that the user activate the flashto improve a subsequent image. This suggestion may be provided to theuser via the image display 128 in conjunction with the user interface164.

[0039] In block 324, and instant review settings and help screen (to bedescribed below with regard to FIG. 4B) is displayed to the user. Theinstant review and help screen may include, for example, a thumbnailsize display of the image, a display of the settings used to capture theimage, an evaluation of the image and, if the user desires, suggestionson ways to improve the image. The evaluation of the image may include,for example, a notification that characteristics, such as exposure,focus and color balance are satisfactory. Suggestions on ways in whichto improve the image may be communicated to the user via the imagedisplay 128 and may include, for example, changing a condition underwhich the image was captured, changing a setting with which the imagewas captured, or a combination of both changing a condition and asetting.

[0040] In block 326, determines whether they want to capture anotherimage. If the user does not want to capture another image, the processends. If, however, in block 326, the user wants to capture anotherimage, then, in block 332, it is determined whether the user wants tomanually change a condition or setting for the subsequent image or, ifthe setting is one that can be changed by the digital camera 100,whether the user wants the digital camera 100 to automatically changethe setting.

[0041] If, in block 332, the user decides to manually change thesetting, then, in block 334, the user changes the setting and theprocess returns to block 302 where another image is captured and theprocess repeats. If, however, in block 332, the user wants the digitalcamera 100 to automatically change the setting, then, in block 336, thesetting used to capture the previous image are changed according to thenew settings determined in block 324, and the process returns to block302 to capture a subsequent image.

[0042]FIGS. 4A and 4B are graphical illustrations showing an instantreview screen and a help screen provided by the image analysis logic 150and the image improvement logic 160. In FIG. 4A, the captured image isdisplayed to the user via the instant review screen 400 immediatelyafter an image is captured. If the user desires additional informationregarding the image, then, in this example, the user actuates anappropriate control on the user interface 164 to display the instantreview help screen shown in FIG. 4B. The instant review help screen 410includes a thumbnail image 402 of the captured image from FIG. 4A, theexposure settings 404, and any other settings 406 used when the image inFIG. 4A was captured. The instant review help screen 410 also includesan improvement message portion 410, referred to as an “advice” portion.The advice portion 410 may include, for example, the settings that wereevaluated in block 322 of FIG. 3, and/or advice on ways in which toimprove the image. In this manner, the digital camera 100 captures animage, analyzes the image, and provides instructions, via the instantreview help screen 410, on ways to improve a subsequent image.

[0043] While various embodiments of the invention have been described,it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that many moreembodiments and implementations are possible that are within the scopeof this invention. All such modifications and variations are intended tobe included herein within the scope of this disclosure and the presentinvention and protected by the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A system for analyzing a digital image,comprising: an image sensor including a plurality of image captureelements, each of the image capture elements configured to capture imagedata, the image data captured according to at least one setting; amemory for storing the image data; logic for dynamically analyzing theimage data to determine at least one characteristic of the image; and adisplay for communicating a description of the characteristic.
 2. Thesystem of claim 1, wherein the at least one characteristic of the imagedetermines whether the image is in focus.
 3. The system of claim 1,wherein the at least one characteristic of the image determines exposureof the image.
 4. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least onecharacteristic of the image determines a white balance of the image. 5.The system of claim 1, further comprising logic for revising the atleast one setting to alter the at least one characteristic.
 6. Thesystem of claim 5, wherein the at least one setting is automaticallyrevised.
 7. The system of claim 5, wherein the at least one setting ismanually revised by a user of the system.
 8. The system of claim 5,wherein the display communicates the at least one revised setting to auser.
 9. The system of claim 1, further comprising logic for providingadvice on improving a subsequent image, wherein the advice comprisesadjusting the at least one setting, and wherein the advice iscommunicated via the display.
 10. The system of claim 1, furthercomprising logic for providing advice on improving a subsequent image,wherein the advice comprises adjusting a condition under which the imagewas captured, and wherein the advice is communicated via the display.11. A method for analyzing a digital image, comprising: capturing animage; storing the image as image data; dynamically analyzing the imagedata to determine at least one characteristic of the image; andcommunicating a description of the characteristic to a user.
 12. Themethod of claim 11, wherein the at least one characteristic of the imagedetermines whether the image is in focus.
 13. The method of claim 11,wherein the at least one characteristic of the image determines exposureof the image.
 14. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least onecharacteristic of the image determines a white balance of the image. 15.The method of claim 11, further comprising revising a setting to alterthe at least one characteristic.
 16. The method of claim 15, furthercomprising automatically revising the at least one setting.
 17. Themethod of claim 15, further comprising manually revising the at leastone setting.
 18. The method of claim 15, further comprising displayingthe at least one revised setting to a user.
 19. The method of claim 11,further comprising providing advice on improving a subsequent image,wherein the advice comprises adjusting the at least one setting, andwherein the advice is communicated via the display.
 20. The method ofclaim 11, further comprising providing advice on improving a subsequentimage, wherein the advice comprises adjusting a condition under whichthe image was captured, and wherein the advice is communicated via thedisplay.
 21. A digital camera, comprising: an image sensor including aplurality of image capture elements, each of the image capture elementsconfigured to capture image data, the image data captured according toat least one setting; a memory for storing the image data; logic fordynamically analyzing the image data to determine at least onecharacteristic of the image; logic for revising the at least one settingto alter the characteristic; and a display for communicating the revisedsetting to a user.
 22. The camera of claim 21, further comprising logicfor providing advice on improving a subsequent image, wherein the advicecomprises adjusting the at least one setting, and wherein the advice iscommunicated via the display.
 23. The camera of claim 21, furthercomprising logic for providing advice on improving a subsequent image,wherein the advice comprises adjusting a condition under which the imagewas captured, and wherein the advice is communicated via the display.24. A computer readable medium having a program for analyzing a digitalimage, the program including logic for: capturing an image; storing theimage as image data; dynamically analyzing the image data to determineat least one characteristic of the image; and communicating adescription of the characteristic to a user.
 25. The program of claim24, further comprising logic for automatically revising a setting toalter the at least one characteristic.
 26. The program of claim 24,further comprising logic for manually revising a setting to alter the atleast one characteristic.
 27. The program of claim 24, furthercomprising logic for providing advice on improving a subsequent image,wherein the advice comprises adjusting the at least one setting, andwherein the advice is communicated via the display.
 28. The program ofclaim 24, further comprising logic for providing advice on improving asubsequent image, wherein the advice comprises adjusting a conditionunder which the image was captured, and wherein the advice iscommunicated via the display.